Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP 

Everton are lining up a summer bid for Newcastle striker Michael Owen with the former England star prepared for a cut in his £100,000-a-week wages. (Daily Express) 
Manchester City are in talks with Lisbon's 22-year-old midfielder Miguel Veloso over a £15m move. (The Sun, The Times)
Liverpool are keen on taking on Moroccan striker Mounir El Hamdaoui, while Arsenal also wait in the wings on the AZ Alkmaar star. (The Sun) 
Portsmouth are demanding £16m for England's Glen Johnson, with Liverpool, Tottenham and Aston Villa all interested in the right-back. (Daily Mirror) 
Liverpool are considering a bid to sign Marseille skipper Lorik Cana as back-up for Xabi Alonso, who could be sold in the summer. (Daily Mirror) 
Wolves are eyeing up a £2.5m move for Aston Villa right-back/midfielder Craig Gardner. (Daily Mirror) 
Reading are mulling over a move for Southampton midfielder Andrew Surman. (Daily Mirror) 
Former Birmingham striker Mauro Zarate could be off to a Premier League club if he fails to agree personal terms for a permanent deal with Lazio. (Daily Mirror) 
Coventry are weighing up a £2m move for Scunthorpe striker Gary Hooper. (Daily Star) 

OTHER GOSSIP 

Barcelona are furious with the conduct of Chelsea's players following the 0-0 Champions League draw at the Nou Camp. 
Xavi says: "There was a team that wanted to play and there was a team that didn't." Referee Wolfgang Stark also comes under fire for snubbing a penalty and failing to award cards for bad tackles. "It's an outrage. There were scandalous incidents," Xavi adds. (Various) 
Carlo Ancelotti moved a step closer to being Chelsea boss with AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi admitting he was already searching for a new boss. (Daily Mirror, The Times)
Cardiff and Swansea are in talks with the English FA in a bid to quit the Football Association of Wales. (Daily Mirror, Daily Mail) 
Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce will delay a decision on the future of striker Matt Derbyshire who has been on-loan at Olympiakos since January. (The Times) 
Fiorentina forward Arturo Lupoli wants to stay with Sheffield United when his loan runs out next month. (Daily Star) 
Manchester United keeper Tom Heaton is desperate for a move to Cardiff. "It's hard at United with such top players in my way." (Daily Mirror)
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill thinks Rangers and Celtic players would become "monumental" if their teams were involved in a future two-tier Premier League in England. (Daily Record) 
Manchester City midfielder Elano has declared his desire to stay at Eastlands. (Daily Star)
Plymouth manager Paul Sturrock has denied claims he is set to quit at the end of the season. (Daily Record) 

AND FINALLY 

Midfielder Tugay is set to retire from football with Blackburn unlikely to extend the 38-year-old's contract beyond the end of the season. Blackburn fans have set up a petition on Facebook in recognition of his services. (The Sun)
www.bbc.co.uk

Sheff Utd 2-1 Barnsley

Sheffield United moved into third place in the Championship after a dramatic derby win over struggling Barnsley. 
John Joe O'Toole bundled home Gary Naysmith's throw to put United ahead on 81 minutes and Arturo Lupoli met Darius Henderson's cut-back to make it 2-0. 
Blades keeper Paddy Kenny saved Jamal Campbell-Ryce's last-minute penalty, before Daniel Bogdanovic finally pulled one back for the visitors. 
A touchline fracas involving both dug-outs marred the end of the match. 

Sheffield United boss Kevin Blackwell on moving to within five points of Championship leaders Wolves: 
"It was another big win for us. 
"Tonight, the top two were looking and it's 0-0 with 70-odd minutes gone, then two goals go in, so psychologically they know that we are chasing them. 
"To be as close as we are now is terrific credit to this side." 

Barnsley boss Simon Davey on the touchline row: 
"It was nothing. I was disappointed with the multi-ball system. That was the issue. 
"When United scored their first goal all the balls disappeared. We had 24 when we were drawing and then there's one in the stadium when we're losing. 
"I spoke to the referee and there were words exchanged, but it's nothing." 

Blackwell on the touchline row: 
"I thought they wanted more time and I thought: 'Where's he going with this?' 
"But I don't control the multi-ball system and it never went missing. I don't know what he's on about." 

Sheff Utd: Kenny, Naughton, Morgan, Bromby, Naysmith, Halford, Montgomery, O'Toole, Cotterill (Lupoli 70), Ward (Beattie 90), Henderson. 
Subs Not Used: Bennett, Howard, Walker. 
Booked: O'Toole. 
Goals: O'Toole 82, Lupoli 87. 

Barnsley: Muller, Hassell, Moore, Foster, Kozluk, Teymourian, De Silva, Colace (Bogdanovic 84), Campbell-Ryce, Macken, Mifsud (Hammill 76). 
Subs Not Used: Steele, Guedes, Devaney. 
Booked: De Silva, Campbell-Ryce. 
Goals: Bogdanovic 90. 

Att: 27,061 
Ref: Grant Hegley (Hertfordshire).
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